Yemen's Houthis claim attack "deep in" UAE as suspected drone blows up 3 oil tankers in Abu Dhabi

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — A possible drone attack may have sparked an explosion that struck three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and another fire at an extension of Abu Dhabi International Airport on Monday that killed three people and wounded six, police said. Abu Dhabi police identified the dead as two Indian nationals and one Pakistani. It did not identify the wounded, who police said suffered minor or moderate wounds.   Police said an investigation was underway.   While Abu Dhabi police did not immediately offer any suspects for the possible assault, Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for an attack "deep in" the United Arab Emirates, without elaborating. The Iranian-backed Houthis have claimed several attacks that Emirati officials later denied took place.

The incident comes while Yemen's years-long war rages on and as an Emirati-flagged vessel found itself recently captured by the Houthis. That's as Abu Dhabi largely has withdrawn its national forces from the conflict tearing apart the Arab world's poorest nation while still supporting local militias there.